Novartis Posted June 30, 2026

Operational Excellence (OpEx) Expert (f/m/d), temporary

Kundl, Austria Befristet (Innendienst) (Befristet)
Manufacturing & CMC

Novartis is the source of truth for this posting and owns the application process. We surface normalized context and market comparison you won't find on the original listing.

About this opportunity

Job Description Summary#LI-HybridLocation: Kundl, AustriaRelocation Support: This role is based in Kundl, Austria. Novartis is unable to offer relocation support: please only apply if accessible.Drive transformation and innovation at one of Novartis’ key manufacturing sites! As an OpEx Expert, you’ll play a pivotal role in shaping the future of operations at DSK. Your work will directly impact productivity, quality, and competitiveness - helping us deliver life-changing medicines faster and more efficiently. If you’re passionate about continuous improvement and thrive in a collaborative, dynamic environment, this is your opportunity to make a real difference.

Key ResponsibilitiesShape and drive site transformation strategies aligned with technical operations objectives.Lead high-impact operational excellence initiatives to close performance gaps and elevate efficiency.Deliver Lean and Six Sigma projects with clear milestones and measurable, sustainable results.Partner with Production, Quality, Engineering, and Supply Chain to embed lasting improvements.Introduce and scale digital tools and data-driven solutions to optimize decision-making.Inspire and engage stakeholders by communicating progress, impact, and success stories.Ensure transparency through robust project dashboards and strong governance practices.Essential RequirementsBachelor’s degree in Engineering, Science, Economics, Operations Management or similar fields.Three to five years of experience in pharmaceutical manufacturing or a regulated industry.Proven success in leading continuous improvement or operational excellence initiatives.Strong expertise in Lean principles and Six Sigma methodologies.Excellent project management and organizational capabilities.Fluency in German and English, both spoken and written.Desirable RequirementsAdvanced education or certification in business administration or Lean and Six Sigma.Experience using digital tools and data analytics to drive operational improvements.Rewards At Novartis, we’re committed to reimagining medicine together - and rewarding the people who make it happen. The rewards of being part of our team go far beyond base pay and incentives. We also offer a variety of competitive benefits in kind to help you thrive personally and professionally, such as insurance plans, retirement plans, wellbeing resources and global recognition programs. In addition, we provide flexible and hybrid working options, where possible, and a minimum of 14 weeks paid parental leave. Expected Annual Base Salary Range for role: Austria: EUR 59.782,00 – 89.300,00The salary offered is determined based on gender-neutral objectives, such as relevant skills, competencies and experience in accordance with the Novartis pay setting policy and upon joining Novartis will be reviewed periodically.  In addition to your base salary, you may be eligible for a performance-based bonus depending on certain performance parameters. Further details will be provided during the application process.  Pay equity is a fundamental principle of our employment policy and reflects our commitment to create a diverse, equitable and inclusive environment that treats all employees with dignity and respect, as outlined in our Code of Ethics. Read our brochure to learn more about our global total rewards offering: https://www.novartis.com/sites/novartis_com/files/novartis-life-handbook.pdf  Note: Benefits and compensation may vary by country and are subject to local legal requirements, including provisions of collective bargaining agreements where applicable. A full overview of your compensation package, including any relevant collective bargaining agreement details applicable to your role based on your employment location and Novartis employer entity, will be communicated separately to you during the application process.  Adjustments for Applicants with Disabilities: If because of a medical condition, physical disability or a neurodiverse condition you require an adjustment during the recruitment process, please reach out to disabilities.austria@novartis.com and let us know the nature of your request as well as your contact information. The support which we can provide will include advice on suitable positions as well as guidance at all stages of the application process. Austrian law provides candidates the opportunity to involve the local disability representative, Behindertenvertrauensperson (BVP), in the application process. If you would like to request this, please let us know in advance as a note on your CV.Commitment to Diversity and Inclusion / EEO paragraph: Novartis is committed to building an outstanding, inclusive work environment and diverse teams’ representative of the patients and communities we serve.

Job details

Seniority
Not listed
Function
Manufacturing & CMC
Therapeutic area
Not listed
Location
Kundl, Austria
Employment type
Befristet (Innendienst) (Befristet)

How this role compares

Computed from every other active Manufacturing & CMC role in our database, not just this employer's listings.

We currently track 1527 comparable Manufacturing & CMC roles across 125 biopharma companies.

1527Comparable roles tracked
1434Currently active
125Companies hiring similar roles
44Countries represented

Salary context

456 of 1527 peers report a salary range (USD, annualized)

Peers share this role's job function. This posting doesn't list a seniority level, so peers aren't narrowed by seniority either -- the range below may span more levels than usual.

This roleSubject Not listed on this posting
Lowest disclosed · Senior Scientist II – CMC Developmental Sciences · AbbVie $0/hr – $0/hr (≈ $0–$0/yr)
Peer group range $0 – $540,400 (median $140,000)

Where these roles are based

Top locations among the 1527 comparable roles

United States782
India104
Germany74
Singapore67
France64
Ireland54

+ 38 more countries

Seniority mix

705 of 1527 peers have a known seniority level

Senior251
Manager165
Principal79
Associate68
Director64
Associate Director44
Senior Director21
Intern/Fellow/Postdoc8
Executive/VP5

Therapeutic area mix

7 of 1527 peers have a known therapeutic area; the rest are genuinely unlabeled, not hidden

Vaccines & Infectious Disease6
Oncology1

Similar opportunities

The closest matches from our peer group, ranked by how similar they are, not how well you'd qualify for them -- treat this as market context, not a guaranteed shortlist; a weak match is labeled as one below.

40%similar
Novartis Schaftenau, Austria
Same function Same country
40%similar
Novartis Schaftenau, Austria Senior
Same function Same country
40%similar
Novartis Schaftenau, Austria Senior
Same function Same country
40%similar
Novartis Schaftenau, Austria Senior
Same function Same country
40%similar
Novartis Schaftenau, Austria
Same function Same country

How we calculate "similar"

No black box, no LLM guesswork: a deterministic score built from four normalized attributes. Here's this role's own peer group at different match levels, so you can see the mechanism, not just the result.

Every comparison starts from the same 100-point budget: 25 for working in the same function, 40 for the same therapeutic area, 20 for the same or adjacent seniority, 15 for the same country. A dimension we can't confirm on both sides contributes nothing, never a guess, never a free pass.

40%
Site Automation Leader
Novartis · Schaftenau, Austria · Seniority not listed
Function Therapeutic area Seniority Country
40%
Automation Engineer (AI & Digital Manufacturing) / Automatisierungsingenieur (KI & Digitale Fertigung)
Novartis · Kundl, Austria · Seniority not listed
Function Therapeutic area Seniority Country
40%
Equipment Operator I
Novartis · Schaftenau, Austria · Seniority not listed
Function Therapeutic area Seniority Country
40%
Data and Process Expert (m/w/d)
Pfizer Mfng Austria GmbH · Orth, Austria · Seniority not listed
Function Therapeutic area Seniority Country
Unmatched or unknown dimensions score exactly the same: 0 points, never a partial guess. A role we know almost nothing about beyond its function bottoms out at 25%; it never inflates to 100% just because there's little to compare against. Seniority uses a defined ladder (Associate → Manager → Associate Director → Senior → Principal → Director → Senior Director → Executive/VP) so "Director" and "Senior Director" count as adjacent, but "Director" and "Executive/VP" do not.